San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-11
MUNICIPAL EXPENSES.

city Of any size there must always De
samen.ss in the budget from year to
year. The ordinary expenses Of govern
ment will not vary mate tally from year
TO year. Ii Is only the extraordinary ex-
penses for special improvements and to
meet special exigencies that will vary
much. The legitimate ard regular ex-
penses of ans city afford u very fair in-
tex OF the character Of that municipali-
~. Its ideas Of sanitation, public im-
provemenis. needs Of public service,
~ ucatiOn and all else will be very intel
lisibiy deduced from the budget a. pre-
sented from year to year. A comparison
OF our own with other city expendi-
lures, and of these other cities with
each other, afford very reliable ground
of comparison as to the work Of these
several cities, and give to all who will
study such statistics some information
for personal guidance, in formulating
municipal policy, that cannot fail Of
good results. The City Of New York
usually considered the most expensive,
corporation in America to maintain
will also be found one Of the
most intelligent. The items Of
greatest moment will be found such as
are indispensible;while In all that makes
for the educational and charitable work
OF the city and its cleanliness IL will
compare fsyorably with that Of any city
on this continent. Her expenditures for
this current year are estimated at $751;
So, 273 an excess Of SI04. 953 over last
municipal year. Of this amount about
four tlfeenths is required TO meet the
interest expense of the city debt and the
sinking fund. One sixth OF the en-
tire amount of city expenditure is "pprO.
prlated TO purposes of education, .and an
rqual amount to street cleaning and
public improvements. The public chart
ties call fol. one eighth Of the city's outlay
aud the police department for about
twO-elevenths; one thirteenth Of the
whole is given to maintain the fire de-
psrtment, and the rest Is distributed in
small amounts with the exception Of the
judicial salaries, which call fol consider
bly, over one million and quarter
Among these lesser amounts are those
Ut public health, parks, law expenses,
coroner, sheriff, etc. With all the out
cry made against New York for mum.
nipal extravaganza, it will be seen that
her vast yearly expenditures are very
generally appropriated for such pur
poses as must be accepted as legitimate
liens upon the ci y; also that by far the
largest amounts are expended in main
tanning the pubic intelligence. the pub
lie safety, the public health and the pub
tic charities. The lessons learned trOm
his budget are these. The
public safety, health, intelligence
aud charity are the prime
considerations in determining munil-
pal expenses, and in making up the cit!
budget should receive first cOnsidera-
lion. San Antonio needs TO keep thi,
lesson continually before her face. Hell
public works and street cleaning ana
health departments are sadly neglected.
Her filth and OFF Il are not removed; the
| echings of her vaults and CesspuOls are
permitted TO saturate the ground, or
are drained off into the river which
flows by thousand homes, TO pOllute
that and breed malaria and disease OF
every kind. The only remedy FOR this
thing is TO properly devise system OF
public works for this city, including Sew
ers, and wisely carry out that project.
BY this means the health of the city
will De improved; the unemployed will
be given work and the burdens of char
ity materially lessened; the city will be
freed from the fear of ep;demics, and
strangers will no longer discriminate
against winter residence in our midst
on account of the lack of suitable pro-
yislOna for the health and cleanliness
OF the city.
Bro. YANDELL, OF the San Angelo En-